Heat exchange apparatus for liquids



April 13, 1965 G. E. HOPPE, JR.. ETAL HEAT EXCHANGE APPARATUS FOR LIQUIDS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 15, 1961 INV ENT OR GEORGE E. HOPPE, JR.

MARK J. O'CONNELL k L45 ATTORNEY April 13, 1965 G. E. HOPPE, JR.. ETAL HEAT EXCHANGE APPARATUS FOR LIQUIDS Filed May 15 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 7

INVENTOR GEORGE E. HOPPE, an.

MARK .1 o'comve'u BY l ikhu ATTORNEY jacket pipes.

United States Patent M 3,177,934 HEAT EXCHANGE APPARATUS FOR LIQUEDS George E. Hoppe, Jr., and Mark 1. OConnell, both of Richmond, Va., assignors to ()ld Dominion Iron & teel Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed May 15,1961, Ser. No. 109,926 2 Claims. (Cl. 165-143) The present application relates to apparatus for reclaiming heat from liquids and the invention more specifically pertains to heat exchange apparatus wherein tubes for the waste hot liquid are completely encased throughout the length thereof by a jacket pipe assembly carrying the other liquid providing improvements in heat exchangers having utility for laundries, dye plants, textile mills and-the like.

It is known to provide a plurality of tubes through which a hot waste liquid carrying solids or foreign matter is moved to avoid tendency of the solids to obstruct passages of a heat exchanger. In an existing heat exchange apparatus tubes are encased in jacket pipes throughout limited portions of the lengths of the tubes and there is no heat exchange relationship between elbow portions of the tubes and the liquid flowing through the Such apparatus requires connections at both ends of the elbow portions of the tubes With other tubes which are disposed lengthwise within the jacket pipes.

It is an object of the present invention to provide clog free heat exchange apparatus for laundries and the like where hot liquids to be delivered to waste contain solids and such liquids are guided through tubes which are encased throughout their entire lengths by jacket pipe units through which another liquid moves in an opposite direction to provide continuous and full counterflow of both liquids throughout the entire length of the tubes including the elbow portions thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide structure at the ends of jacket pipes for a heat exchange device of a character to permit generally U-shaped tubes to be mounted within the jacket pipe units and it provides structure where the jacket pipe units reverse direction which reduce the number of elements required to support and join the tubes and to provide detachable cap members at the ends of the jacket pipes which may be removed making it possible to replace the tubes within the jacket pipes.

Other objects and features of the invention will be appreciated and become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains as the present disclosure proceeds and upon consideration of the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings and wherein-an exemplary embodiment of the invention is disclosed.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of heat exchange apparatus embodying the invention with portions illustrated in section.

FIG. 2 is .an enlarged fragmentary side elevation view of one jacket pipe unit with portions shown in section.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a cap member for the end of one jacket pipe unit.

FIG. 4 is an elevation of the cap member taken in the direction of the arrow 4 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view showing the overall shape of a group of tubes for one jacket pipe unit.

FIG. 6 is a section view taken on the line '66 of FIG. 1 and showing an end of an adjacent jacket pipe unit in elevation.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view of the area indicated generally at 7 in FIG. 1.

3,177,934 Patented Apr. 13, 1965 FIG. 8 is an end elevation of another pipe jacket unit taken on the line 88 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is an elevational view taken on the line 99 of FIG. 1 with the tubes removed.

The structure illustrated in the drawings may be employed where heat is to be recovered from one liquid flowing to waste and transferred to another liquid flowing to a place of use. While the heat exchange apparatus about to be described has particular utility in a commercial laundry where the hot waste Water carries lint and the like it has utility when the hot waste liquid is devoid of solids. The fresh water entering the plant for laundry purposes is introduced into the heat exchange apparatus which serves to transfer heat of the hot waste water to the incoming fresh water. The temperature of the fresh water can be increased as much as onehundred and forty degrees and the temperature of the waste water is reduced by as much as sixty degrees before being discharged to the sewer or the like. The heat which would otherwise be lost is reclaimed and transferred to the clean incoming water to reduce the cost of heating the fresh water.

The heat exchange apparatus is virtually clog free because lint or other solids and foreign matter in the Waste water is guided through the heat exchanger by relatively small tubes of substantially uniform cross section and the velocity of the waste water is not materially altered so that the solids do not settle and obstruct passages through the apparatus. Referring to the drawings there is shown in FIG. 1 heat exchange apparatus exhibiting the invention which includes a series of jacket pipe units 10, 11, 12 and 14 formed of jacket pipes arranged in side by side relation and substantially parallel. The jacket pipe units are joined to each other to provide a continuous encased back and forth passage therethrough as Will be apparent as the description proceeds to provide a conduit system whereby one liquid such as fresh clean water may enter the assembly through a conduit fitting 15 and flow through the jacket pipe assembly for discharge through a conduit connnection 16.

The hot waste liquid is desirably introduced into the assembly through a conduit connection 17 and flows through small tubes 18 encased Within the jacket pipe units in a direction opposite to that of the movement of the other liquid to which heat is transferred. The waste liquid is discharged from the apparatus through a conduit fitting 19. The hot waste liquid entering through the conduit 17 comes into heat transfer relationship with the portion of the other cold liquid such as fresh Water adjacent the discharge conduit 16 which is carrying heat absorbed from upstream heat transfer relationship of the two liquids. Thus the cold liquid adjacent the conduit 15 is in heat exchange relationship with waste liquid at its lowest temperature whereby the apparatus provides for full utilization of counterflow principle in aheat exchanger.

The jacket pipe unit 10 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes an elongated cylindrical pipe 21 of relatively large diameter. A disc-shaped plate 22 carried by the end of the pipe 21 is sealed with respect to the perimeter thereof. The jacket pipe unit 10 includes another 'and shorter length of cylindrical pipe 23 which is spaced from the pipe 21 and substantially parallel thereto. The adjacent and common ends of the pipes 21 and 23 are beveled and have an angular shape as indicated at 24 and 26 in FIG. 2. A short hemi-cylindrical shaped pipe section 27 having angular ends is joined to the beveled end of each pipe 21 and 23 in liquid tight relationship such as by welding. A flange 28 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 9 embraces the pipes 21 and 23 and is secured thereto and to diametrically opposite edges of the short hemi-cylindrical 1 V 3 pipe section 27. The face 29 (FIG. 2) of the flange 28 is in a plane which substantially coincides with the axis of the pipe section 27.

A plate 31 having a shape as shown in FIG. 8 is secured to the other end of the pipe 23 in a liquid tight relationship. The plate31 is provided with apertures 32 as shown in FIG. 2 and the disc-shaped plate 22 is provided with a similar number of apertures 33 (FIG. 7) having a pattern corresponding to the arrangement of the apertures 32 in' the plate 31. The apertures 33 receive the end portions 34 of the small tubes 18. The end portions 34 of the tubes may be forced into the apertures 33 to provide seals around the tubes for the pressures employed with the liquids undergoing heat transfer. The tubes 18 having U- shaped portions as shown in FIG. and are inserted with the longer leg of the U-shaped tubes lengthwise withing the pipe 21 and shorter leg 36 are arranged longitudinally within the pipe 23. The end portions 37 of the short legs enter the apertures 32 in the plate 31. Such a mounting of the small tubes 13 in the jacket pipe unit is made possible by the structure shown at the right in FIGS. 2 and 9 which provides an unobstructed open area 39 throughout the cross sections of the pipes 21 and 23 and the hemi-cylindrical pipe section 27.

A cap member 41 as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 has a herni-cylindrical shaped intermediate portion 46 complementary to the pipe section 27. The beveled ends of the intermediate portion are closed by arcuate parts 45. A flange 42 carried by the cap member is adapted to be arranged into face-to-face relationship with the flange 28 and secured thereto to close the common ends of the pipes 21 and 23 and to complete the cylindrical character of the hemi-cylindrical pipe section 27. Bolt and nut assemblies or cap screws may be provided through the holes 43 in the flanges 28 and 42 and suitable gasket means may be provided between the flanges.

The pipe jacket unit 11 is of similar construction. The tubes 18a may be inserted in this unit and the others prior to the mounting of this pipe jacket unit in assembled relation with other pipe jacket units. The detachable cap members 41 facilitate the mounting of the tubes in the jacket pipe units. The pipe jacket unit 11 includes two jacket pipes 47 and 48 and a plate 46 having a shape as shown in FIG. 6 is provided at an end of the pipe 47. The plate 46 has apertures which receive end portions of the tubes 18a. The plate 46 when arranged in face-toface relationship with the plate 31 provides for registration of the end portions 37 of the tubes 18 with the tubes 18a and bolts or cap screws serve to connect these plates. The ends of the tubes 18a are thereby maintained in registration with the end portions 37 of the tubes 18.

An opening 51 is provided in the plate 31 as shown in FIG. 8 and a similar opening 52 is provided in the plate 46 (FIG. 6). These openings are in registration when the jacket pipe units 10 and 11 are assembled. A conduit 53 in communication with the pipe 23 is secured to the plate 31 in liquid tight relationship and in registration with the opening 51. A similar conduit 54 leads from the pipe 47 to the opening 52 in the plate 46. A by-pass conduit means is thereby provided between the pipe 23 and the pipe 47 of the jacket pipe units when the plates 31 and 46 are clamped to each other. This conduit means provide a passage from the interior of the pipe 23 to the interior of the pipe 47 for movement of the liquid within the jacket pipes exteriorly of the small tubes. The heat exchange apparatus may be formed of any number of jacket pipe units to provide a heat exchange device of the desired length and capacity.

A disc-spaced plate 56 at the free end of the jacket pipe unit 14 supports the ends of the small tubes therein and closes the associated endof the pipe 57. A conduit fitting 61 provided with a flange 62 forms a chamber at this end of the assembly for receiving the cooled waste liquid which escapes through the conduit 19. A simi ar conduit fitting 66 is provided at the free end of the pipe 21. A flange 67 carried by the fitting 66 is adapted to be clamped to the periphery of the disc 22 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 7. The hot waste liquid enters the fitting through the conduit 17 for entering into the small tubes. Each conduit fitting 61 and 66 may be provided with a clean-out opening which is closed by means of a threaded plug.

In operation the hot waste liquid such as the water from a laundry is delivered into the conduit fitting 66. The liquid enters the tubes 18 in the jacket pipe unit 10 and passes therethrough and sequentially through the tubes 18a and similar tubes housed within the succeeding jacket pipe units to escape into the conduit fitting 61 where it passes through the conduit 19 leading to waste. The fresh liquid to which heat is to be transferred from the waste liquid enters the jacket pipe unit 14 through the conduit 15 and passes within the pipe 57 exteriorly of the small tubes therein and then passes through the jacket pipe unit 12 and the jacket pipe unit 11 and the jacket pipe unit 10 exteriorly of the tubes in all of these units but in heat transfer relationship with the entire lengths of the small tubes. The liquid carrying heat absorbed during passage through the assembly escapes from the pipe 21 through the conduit 16. There is continuous heat exchange relationship of the liquid within the jacket pipes with the exterior surfaces of the small tubes throughout the entire lengths of the small tubes including the elbow portions thereof.

The detachable cap members 41 permit the respective sets of tubes to be mounted in jacket pipes which are arranged in side by side relationship and each cap member forms a part of the elbow structure joining common ends of the jacket pipes. The cap members provide the further advantages of being removable for inspection and cleaning of the interior of the assembly and for the removal of the respective sets of tubes and the replacement thereof without dismantling the jacket pipe assembly.

While the invention has been described with reference to specific structural features and with regard to one over all assembly it will be appreciated that changes may be made in the structural elements as well as the combination. Such modifications and others may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

, What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Heat exchange apparatus comprising, a first jacket pipe, a second jacket pipe in side by side relationship with the first pipe, elbow means including a separate cap member joining first ends of said pipes and providing communication therebetween, a first set of tubes extending longitudinallywithin the first pipe, said tubes having U-shaped portions within said elbow means and extending longitudinally within the second pipe, a first plate closing the second end of the first pipe, a second plate closing the second end of the second pipe, each plate having apertures therethrough receiving and supporting respective ends of said tubes, means guiding liquid for entry into the ends of said tubes adjacent the first plate, a third jacket pipe with a first end abutting the second end of the second pipe, a third plate closing the first end of the third pipe, saidthird plate having apertures registering with the apertures in the second plate, a second set of tubes extending longitudinally within the third pipe with first ends thereof-accommodated within the apertures of the third plate and abutting ends of the first tubes, means securing the third pipe to the second pipe and the second and third plates in face to face relationship with each tube of the first set in registering communication with a tube of-the second set, means guiding liquid from the second ends of said second set of tubes, liquid guiding means adjacent the first plate in communication with the interior of the first pipe exteriorly of the first set of tubes,

a conduit in communication with the interior of the second pipe and extending outside thereof from a zone adjacent the second plate, said second plate having an opening therethrough laterally of said second and third pipes accommodating said conduit, a second conduit extending from the interior of the third pipe from a zone adjacent the third plate, said third plate having an opening therethrough registering with the opening in the second plate accommodating the second conduit, means sealing the periphery of each conduit with respect to the associated plate, and means remote of said third plate guiding liquid into the third pipe exteriorly of said second set of tubes.

2. Heat exchange apparatus comprising, a first jacket pipe, a second jacket pipe in side by side relationship with the first pipe, elbow means including a separate cap member joining first ends of said pipes and providing communication therebetween, a first set of tubes extending longitudinally within the first pipe, said tubes having U- shaped portions within said elbow means and extending longitudinally within the second pipe, a first plate closing the second end of the first pipe, a second plate closing the second end of the second pipe, each plate having apertures therethrough receiving and supporting respective ends of said tubes, means guiding liquid for entry into the ends of said tubes adjacent the first plate, a third jacket pipe with a first end abutting the second end of the second pipe,

a fourth jacket pipe in side by side relationship with the third pipe, second elbow means including a separate cap member joining the second end of the third pipe with a first end of the fourth pipe, a third plate closing the first end of the third pipe, said third plate having apertures registering with the apertures in the second plate, a second set of tubes extending longitudinally within the third pipe with the first ends thereof accommodated within the apertures of the third plate and abutting ends of the first tubes, said second set of tubes having U-shaped portions within said second elbow means and extending longitudinally within the fourth pipe, detachable means securing the third pipe to the second pipe and the second and third plates in face to face relationship with each tube of through laterally of said second and third pipes accommodating said conduit, a second conduit extending from the interior of the third pipe from a zone adjacent the third plate, said third plate having an opening therethrough registering with the opening in the second plate accommodating the second conduit, means sealing the periphery of each of said conduits with respect to its associated plate, and a conduit carried by said fourth pipe adjacent said fourth plate guiding liquid into the fourth pipe exteriorly of said second set of tubes.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,272,232 7/18 Davis -234 1,527,273 '2/25 Riehm 165-143 1,581,384 3/26 Chester 165-234 1,790,306 2/31 Hudson 165-143 2,520,755 8/50 Brown 165-158 2,811,336 10/57 Bready 165-234 2,844,360 '7/58 Buri 165-143 X 3,048,372 8/62 Newton 165-97 X 3,079,992 3/63 Otten et al 165-158 X FOREIGN PATENTS 2/56 France.

CHARLES SUKALO, Primary Examiner. HERBERT L. MARTIN, Examiner. 

1. HEAT EXCHANGE APPARATUS COMPRISING, A FIRST JACKET PIPE, A SECOND JACKET PIPE IN SIDE BY SIDE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FIRST PIPE, ELBOW MEANS INCLUDING A SEPARATE CAP MEMBER JOINING FIRST ENDS OF SAID PIPES AND PROVIDING COMMUNICATION THEREBETWEEN, A FIRST SET OF TUBES EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY WITHIN THE FIRST PIPE, SAID TUBES HAVING U-SHAPED PORTIONS WITHIN SAID ELBOW MEANS AND EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY WITHIN THE SECOND PIPE, A FIRST PLATE CLOSING THE SECOND END OF THE FIRST PIPE, A SECOND PLATE CLOSING THE SECOND END OF THE SECOND PUPE, EACH PLATE HAVING APERTURES THERETHROUGH RECEIVING AND SUPPORTING RESPECTIVE ENDS OF SAID TUBES, MEANS GUIDING LIQUID FOR ENTRY INTO THE ENDS OF SAID TUBES ADJACENT THE FIRST PLATE, A THIRD JACKET PIPE WITH A FIRST END ABUTTING THE SECOND END OF THE SECOND PIPE, A THIRD PLATE CLOSING THE FIRST END OF THE THIRD PIPE, SAID THIRD PLATE HAVING APERTURES REGISTERING WITH THE APERTURES IN THE SECOND PLATE, A SEDOND SET OF TUBES EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY WITHIN THE THIRD PIPE WITH FIRST ENDS THEREOF ACCOMMODATED WITHIN THE APERTURES OF THE THIRD PLATE AND ABUTTING ENDS OF THE FIRST TUBES, MEANS SECURING THE THIRD PIPE TO THE SECND PIPE AND THE SECOND AND THIRD PLATES IN FACE TO FACE RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH TUBE OF THE FIRST SET IN REGISTERING COMMUNICATION WITH A TUBE OF THE SECOND SET, MEANS GUIDING LIQUID FROM THE SECOND ENDS OF SAID SECOND SET OF TUBES, LIQUID GUIDING MEANS ADJACENT THE FIRST PLATE IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE INTERIOR OF THE FIRST PIPE EXTERIORLY ON THE FIRST SET OF TUBES, A CONDUIT IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE INTERIOR OF THE SECOND PIPE AND EXTENDING OUTSIDE THEREOF FROM A ZONE ADJACENT THE SECOND PLATE, SAID SECOND PLATE HAVING AN OPENING THERETHROUGH LATERALLY OF SAID SECOND AND THIRD PIPES ACCOMMODATING SAID CONDUIT, A SECND CONDUIT EXTENDING FROM THE INTERIOR OF THE THIRD PIPE FROM A ZONE ADJACENT THE THIRD PLATE, SAID THIRD PLATE HAVING AN OPENING THERETHROUGH REGISTERING WITH THE OPENING IN THE SECOND PLATE ACCOMMODATING THE SECOND CONDUIT, MEANS SEALING THE PERIPHERY OF EACH CONDUIT WITH RESPECT TO THE ASSOCIATED PLATE , AND MEANS REMOTE OF SAID THIRD PLATE GUIDING LIQUID INTO THE THIRD PIPE EXTERIORLY OF SAID SECOND SET OF TUBES. 